What should I do if the hero is resurrected in the Monster Girl Encyclopedia?

Chapter 123 The Heart of Lead (Part 1)
Mirad squeezed the slime gel that Loran had forced onto him.

Under Loran's treatment, the slime's originally corrosive slime was completely removed, leaving only a soft and bouncy texture. Under his unconscious grip, the gel slightly seeped out from between his fingers, and slowly bounced back when he released his grip, leaving a few shallow fingerprints.

It must be said that this kneading did have a wonderfully therapeutic effect, relaxing his tense nerves without him even realizing it.

"Dude, your personal qualities are undoubtedly top-notch, so it's normal for girls to have a crush on you. Now there's only one thing to figure out... how does Ophie feel about you? Is it just ordinary friendliness, or is she paying special attention? If she likes you, is it the kind of liking where she nods and greets you when you meet, or is it to the point where she can't live without you and ignores everyone else who tries to chat her up?"

It was definitely the right decision to consult with Luo Gen about relationship issues. Although he didn't know she was also single and where she got her experience from, Mirad felt reassured by her confident and articulate manner.

Her earnest teachings before leaving were still fresh in my mind... In just a few minutes, Luo Gen thoughtfully devised a complete confession plan for Mirad, as if she had been prepared in advance.

The first step in the plan is to figure out exactly where Orpheus's affection for Mirad lies.

"These girls who lack common sense are indeed difficult to deal with. Because they sometimes do things that are far beyond common sense, and they don't care much about social distancing. Before you know it, they can easily entangle poor young men who have never been in a relationship."

And the way Loran tested Orpheus's feelings was...

He tucked the warmed gel back into his pocket and gently knocked on Orpheus's door.

The soft tapping of knuckles on the door sounded slightly out of place in the empty corridor.

"Ophie, it's me... Mirad. Are you free now?"

Perhaps it was three seconds, or maybe even longer—so long that Mirad felt his heart cool along with the gel—before Ophie's emotionless voice came from behind the door, accompanied by a rustling sound that seemed to be the movement of clothes.

"……Come in."

The voice was calm and even, revealing neither calmness nor annoyance, nor even a hint of curiosity; it was impossible to discern the speaker's current mood.

Milad steadied his breathing and pushed open the door to enter.

As expected. Orpheus, disheveled, sat cross-legged on the bed.

Perhaps it's not appropriate to use such a general term as "disheveled" to describe her... because she wasn't dressed properly at all; she had just haphazardly draped a robe over herself, covering whatever was available.

Therefore, the porcelain-like skin and soft curves that he had glimpsed many times in his dreams once again entered Mirad's field of vision.

The girl wasn't exactly voluptuous, and Mirand didn't have a particular preference for her.

Even he had to admit that Orpheus's physique was remarkably perfect. The fat was distributed just right, and the muscles weren't so prominent that they affected the smoothness of the lines. It was so perfect, as if divinely blessed, that everything seemed to be as it should be.

He suddenly understood the obsession with the human form by the city's famous sculptors.

Mirand was asked by several sculptor friends to be his model. They admired his well-proportioned and agile physique and clear muscle contours. His well-trained and healthy body brought a balance of strength and beauty, making him a perfect textbook for apprentices to master human anatomy.

Orpheus, on the other hand, was completely different. Her lines were natural, unadorned beauty…so perfect that even Mirad felt a sense of unreality.

"You came to see me just to see my body?"

Ophie's cool voice broke Mirand's reverie. She tilted her head slightly, her pale golden hair falling from her shoulders, her eyes showing no embarrassment, only pure confusion.

Mirad was already quite experienced in dealing with girls' carelessness. He skillfully averted his gaze, ignoring the alluring sight in his peripheral vision, and paid no heed to her burning ears, directing his tongue to action once more.
"...No, no. I'm here to ask you something."

Orpheus glanced down at the robe casually wrapped around his body, then looked up at Mirad, whose face was flushed and who was deliberately looking away. As if understanding something, he nodded, his tone certain.
"You like my body so much that your breathing has become heavy, your heart is racing, and the veins in your face are dilating... I've seen this kind of reaction in couples before."

Mirad was stunned.

The plan that Luo Gen gave him didn't include how to deal with the situation if Ophie was the first to realize his feelings for her.

Ultimately, we should probably look at Orpheus's attitude... right?

Unfortunately, Orpheus remained expressionless, making any attempt to clarify his stance absurd. He could only weakly reply, at least trying to prove he wasn't a frivolous person who only liked girls because of their bodies, "It's not like that..."

"Oh, so you don't like my body. You want to fight me? The soldiers' reactions before battle are all the same."

Orpheus braced himself with his hands beside him, leaning forward, his almost transparent white eyes staring intently at him.
"I refuse your duel invitation. I was too exhausted from fighting Baphomet, and my magic power has not yet fully recovered."

The topic took a sharp turn and veered off in an indescribable direction, and Mirad quickly pulled on the reins, "...It's not like that either!"

However, it seems he has never sparred with Orpheus. If they were to fight... perhaps they could gain a deeper understanding of each other. Moreover, Mirad is quite curious about the blood-based spells Orpheus uses.

Spells are the precursor to magic. Our ancestors believed that they could use all sorts of strange restrictions and rituals to enhance the power of spells... A large part of these have been disproven by scholars in academies, but a small part has been proven to be effective.

"What's that like?"

Orpheus waited quietly for his response, his eyes devoid of emotion yet more compelling than any interrogation.

"Are you free this afternoon to have lunch with me?"

Yes, inviting her to dinner was Luo Gen's suggestion.

"Dude, do you understand? The point isn't the food itself, it's about her reaction! Uh, even if the sky were falling, that girl would still have that poker face... Anyway, if you can't figure out her emotions, you have to pay attention to her subtle body language! See if she subconsciously adjusts her hair or collar, whether she agrees readily or hesitates and makes excuses to decline?"

Mirand fully understood and wholeheartedly agreed.

But Luo Ran forgot one premise: that is, when Ophie lived alone, she did not have the habit of dressing properly.

Therefore, following Luo Gen's teachings, while he stared intently at Orpheus's movements, he also took in the spring scenery that he had previously been avoiding.

The man's face went from slightly flushed to completely red in less than half a second—a change even she rarely saw. Ophie observed him quietly for a long time before finally nodding gently.

"sure, no problem."

……It's that simple?
Before Mirad could react, Orpheus had already yawned and shrunk into the blankets, with only his head sticking out... Drowsiness was indeed a symptom of a large loss of magic power.

"Is there anything else?" Orpheus closed her eyes, looking as if she had drifted off to sleep.

“No, that’s all…” Mirad answered hastily, “Come to the church entrance before dinner, I’ll be waiting for you there.”

He practically fled from Orpheus's room, gently closing the door behind him before leaning against the wall in the hallway and letting out a long sigh of relief.

The first step can be considered a success.

Although it hadn't been as simple as expected, and Orpheus's straightforward reaction seemed normal, it was still a step forward in inviting the girl out.

Mirand's steps became lighter; he had to tell Loran the good news immediately.

Inside the room, Orpheus remained in a state of feigned sleep.

After a long while, realizing that she hadn't fallen asleep as expected, she opened her eyes and touched her chest with her right hand.

My heart was beating a little faster than usual.

For the first time, a hint of confusion appeared in those eyes, which were like a frozen lake in the deep mountains.

"invite…?"

She whispered to herself.

(End of this chapter)